


The Witch of the Forest

by mean_whale



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Falling In Love, Frottage, Loneliness, M/M, Witches, dragons are mentioned!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 10:46:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8141086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mean_whale/pseuds/mean_whale
Summary: Knight Iwaizumi gets lost in the magical forest and discovers that the stories about witches were not completely false.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is loosely based on a magical universe I've been working on for an original story, which in turn is somewhat based on the universe in The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede.
> 
> Honestly I just wanted to mention that series because it's great. You should read it!

The forest was much bigger than you’d expect. Iwaizumi was surprised by this every time he entered it, even though he had always lived in the town by the woods. The trees seemed to grow higher the farther he went, leaves shielding the narrow path from the hot sunlight and providing him with an eerie hum as he walked. He wished there was a map of the forest, something that would reassure him that this was the right way, but he also knew that no map had ever been right. There was magic in each tree surrounding him, and he could feel it on his skin, an electric tickle that kept him wary. He might have spent his entire childhood roaming the grounds, but he knew better than to imagine that he knew exactly what there was.

It was always hard to tell time in the forest, and once again Iwaizumi found himself losing any sense of time. He might have been walking for five minutes or five hours, and he wouldn’t be sure until he left the trees behind. He was headed to the Wise Man’s hut that was located by the edge of the forest outside of town. He could have travelled outside of the woods, but it would have taken far longer. However, he was getting tired of the trees making him feel like he was being watched, and almost wanted to turn back.

It didn’t take him much longer before he saw the trees clearing ahead, and he sighed in relief. For a moment he had thought that he might have gotten lost, but it seemed that the forest had been kind to him. He headed forward with new found energy, and refused to stop before reaching the end of the treeline. It soon became obvious to him that he had made a mistake.

When Iwaizumi stopped by the last trees, he saw before him a clearing he had never seen before. It was surrounded by trees from each direction, but bathed in golden sunlight; it must have been noon for the sun to be up so high. There was a small pond of dark green water, the edges of it covered with white flowers in full bloom. By the pond there was also a small cottage that didn’t resemble any of the houses Iwaizumi had seen in the town. It was built with light-coloured wood that had weathered beautifully, the roof was covered almost completely by moss, and there was a small balcony stretching above the pond.

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure what to do. Just like all the townspeople he had heard stories of a witch’s lair that lie hidden in the middle of the forest, but Iwaizumi had never taken it to be true. He had spent countless of hours in the forest but had never seen this place before, and he had never known anyone to have seen it either.

Witches don’t exist anymore, he reminded himself.

But what if they did?

Iwaizumi shook his head and chuckled at his own silliness. The moment he saw a cottage in the forest he was ready to believe in witches. It was probably some idiot’s hideout, somewhere they could go to get away from the town.

Iwaizumi turned his back to the clearing and started heading forward again. He should continue his way to the Wise Man, or he would never make it back by the end of the day. He didn’t have to walk long before he already saw the trees clearing up in front of him, but as he stopped by the treeline he sighed. He had reached the exact same clearing he had just left, and he was standing exactly on the same spot as before.

There was no time to get frustrated, so Iwaizumi turned around and tried again. And again. But each time he ended up reaching the same clearing. He slapped his own thigh to keep calm. He wanted to slam the trees, but he knew better than to mess with the magic of the forest.

After pondering for a while Iwaizumi came to the conclusion that the forest wanted him there, and he couldn’t fight it. So he stepped out from the shadows. The sun was warming his already warm skin, and Iwaizumi wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He approached the house uncertainly, not sure what to expect. The front door was made of darker wood and carved with weird symbols that Iwaizumi had never seen in his life. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Iwaizumi wanted to say that he wasn’t in the least unnerved by the situation, but there was no way to deny how much faster his heart was beating now that he waited by the door. He was a knight, and as such he was able to deal with many dangers, but if the house turned out to be a magical place, he’d be at a loss.

As he thought about his current predicament, the heavy door opened. Iwaizumi’s heart was beating so fast he thought it might burst, as he came face to face with the owner of the house. He was a young man with gorgeous features and a wild brown hair that shone in the sun. His eyes were sharp but gentle, and he was just a bit taller than Iwaizumi. He was dressed in a teal robe that complimented his fair skin.

“Yes?” the man asked with an airy voice.

Iwaizumi had never seen such a beautiful man in his entire life. He couldn’t take his eyes off the man’s features and didn’t know what to say.

“Well,” the man said with a smirk, “knights have never been known for their skills with words.”

The comment irritated Iwaizumi, and he didn’t try to hide the distaste appearing on his face.

“Who are you?” he asked, tone going almost rude.

The man laughed.

“You come to my house demanding for answers,” the man said and started pushing the door shut.

“No, wait,” Iwaizumi said and reached out a hand to keep the door open. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I didn’t expect anyone to live here.”

The man cocked his head and smiled.

“But surely you have heard about the witch who lives in the forest,” he said.

Iwaizumi wanted to tell the man to stop being ridiculous, but there was something about the air surrounding him that stopped the words. The electricity of magic was more concentrated around the man, much thicker than it was in the trees. Iwaizumi swallowed, eyes not leaving the stranger who was still looking at him with a gentle smile on his red lips.

“If you weren’t looking for me, why did you come?” the man asked.

Iwaizumi didn’t know what to say. His mouth had suddenly gone dry, and a pinch of anxiety made his stomach stir. The man standing in front of him was a witch. He was a member of a clan that should have been long extinct, yet here he was, as real as the magical forest surrounding him.

“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” the witch said. “What a disappointment. I would have loved to chat for a bit.”

“Why?” Iwaizumi asked cautiously.

“It gets lonely,” the witch said, and Iwaizumi caught a flash of longing in his eyes. “Nobody comes to see me.”

There was a knot of sadness in Iwaizumi’s throat. Never in his life had he ever felt as empathetic towards another person. He felt the loneliness of the silent forest, the weight of being the last one of his kind, and he wanted to fix it, fix this man standing in front of him.

“Did you put a spell on me?” Iwaizumi asked instead.

The man chuckled sadly.

“Why would I have done that?” he asked. “If there’s nothing you want from me, you should leave.”

The witch waited for a moment longer, but when Iwaizumi didn’t say anything, he closed the door.

Iwaizumi stood still, facing the beautifully carved door. His heart was pounding so hard he could almost feel his ribs rattle, and he felt the sort of uncertainty he hadn’t felt since he was a child. He carefully touched the carvings on the door, some of them vines growing up on the wood, some of them markings that he couldn’t understand, but he felt them with his fingertips and knew that there was magic rooted deep into the wood.

Iwaizumi knocked on the door again, and it soon opened, although the witch didn’t seem quite as welcoming this time.

“I can’t leave,” Iwaizumi said, before the man had a chance to tell him off. “I tried to go several times, but I always came back.”

The witch looked at him long and hard, as if reading something from within his very soul. Then he opened the door wider.

“Come on in,” he said, and Iwaizumi stepped inside before giving himself a chance to hesitate and regret.

The cottage looked much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. He had stepped into a room that served as an entrance, kitchen and a lounge. On the other end of the room there was a door to the balcony above the pond, and on the left wall there was a door to what Iwaizumi presumed to be the witch’s bedroom.

“Have a seat,” the witch said and pointed to a chair by the dining table.

Iwaizumi did as he was told. The witch turned to the kitchen cabinets and stove. Iwaizumi looked at his movements, how he was in every way exactly like a normal human. The only thing that set them apart was the magic that was running through his veins. Iwaizumi felt like the witch’s robe was shielding some of his power, like he would be humming with energy if he was unclothed. The thin fabric stuck to his body at times, revealing his admirable form. Iwaizumi blushed when he realised what he was doing, and looked away.

Soon a cup of what Iwaizumi presumed to be tea was set before him, and the witch sat down on the other side of the table. The table wasn’t very big, so they were sitting close to each other. Iwaizumi wondered if touching the man would make him feel the magic the way he felt it when he touched the trees.

“My name is Oikawa Tooru,” the witch said.

“Iwaizumi Hajime,” Iwaizumi said.

Oikawa looked at him with the same piercing look he had already used before, and suddenly Iwaizumi wondered if witches could read minds. He turned his eyes away, looked into his cup.

“It’s herbal tea,” Oikawa said. “It will help you find home.”

Iwaizumi glanced up in question.

“Just trust me,” Oikawa said.

As a knight Iwaizumi had been taught to never trust anything that had even a hint of magic in it, but he felt that he had no choice. So, he lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip of the tea. It tasted fruity and strong, pleasantly warm, and it melted away some of his nervousness. He put the cup back down and looked up to Oikawa.

“It’s good,” he said, although he had wanted to say something else.

A small smile appeared on Oikawa’s face, but it died down soon. Iwaizumi felt like it was his duty to do something about the awkwardness of the situation, but he didn’t know how to approach it.

“I never knew that this place existed,” he finally said.

Oikawa’s face had gone incomprehensible, and it frustrated Iwaizumi.

“Well,” the witch said slowly. “People don’t usually find this place unless they want something from me.”

“Oh?” Iwaizumi said and felt like a complete idiot.

To avoid feeling quite as awkward as he was already feeling, he picked up his cup again to sip his drink. Oikawa looked at him, but didn’t look impatient. If anything he looked melancholic, and Iwaizumi couldn’t understand it.

“How do you think I found you then?” Iwaizumi asked.

A blush rose onto Oikawa’s face as he looked away from Iwaizumi.

“Beats me,” he said, and Iwaizumi knew it was a lie.

Having always lived his life imagining that he would never encounter a witch, Iwaizumi didn’t know exactly what witches could do. Thus, he decided to not confront Oikawa about his lie to save himself from possible consequences. He continued to drink his tea in silence until it was all gone.

“Is that it?” Iwaizumi asked then, and Oikawa turned to look at him. “Now I can just leave?”

Oikawa nodded and Iwaizumi stood up, heading towards the door.

“You will find your way home,” the witch said. “Stay safe, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi turned to look at the witch. He wasn’t sure if he had heard correctly, so he ended up simply nodding his farewell before pulling open the door and stepping out. The sun was still up high, and Iwaizumi determinedly walked to the very edge of the clearing before looking back. He thought about what Oikawa had said, how people didn’t usually find him, and realised that this was probably the only time he ever encountered a real witch.

*

The morning was warm, and a promise of a hot day was in the air as Iwaizumi headed out. He had been exhausted when he had finally found his way out of the forest the previous day and had decided to postpone his visit to the Wise Man. Now he left early to make up for missing his trip before, and decided to steer clear of the forest.

It took far longer to reach the Wise Man’s hut along the dirt road that led people out of the town and past the forest. Iwaizumi could hear the hum of magic close to him, and moved to walk on the other side of the road. The walk was dull, and when he finally made it to the hut, he had made up his mind about going back home through the forest.

In spite of leaving early, there was already a line outside of the hut. Iwaizumi sat down on a seat next to a familiar knight.

“Good morning, Shimizu-san,” Iwaizumi greeted her.

“Good morning,” Shimizu answered.

“Long queue?” Iwaizumi tried to chat.

“Not all of them are knights,” Shimizu pointed out.

Iwaizumi looked around, and saw that the woman was right; there was only one more knight, Tanaka, who greeted Iwaizumi with a nod and a smirk. The rest of the crowd were townspeople or villagers from the other side of the forest, come to see the Wise Man in need of guidance or ailments. They wouldn’t take long.

Iwaizumi was about to continue chatting with Shimizu, when the hut’s door opened and Shimizu stood up. She walked in as knight Bokuto stepped out, greeting both Iwaizumi and Tanaka with a sunny grin before taking his horse and heading back to town.

“Rich brat,” Iwaizumi heard someone complain, but decided to block his ears from any further badmouthing.

Bokuto was the son of a rich family, and some ill-meaning folk said that he had only made it to knighthood with the aid of his money, but Iwaizumi had been training with Bokuto and knew that money had nothing to do with Bokuto’s status. He quite admired the owl-like man, but didn’t wish to start arguments with the townspeople. His mood for a chat was gone too, so he ignored Tanaka who was trying to make eye contact with him.

Maybe it wasn’t the right decision to make: time seemed to drag on. When Shimizu finally walked out and a young woman walked in, Iwaizumi was already tired of waiting. The young woman emerged very soon, and it was Tanaka’s turn to see the Wise Man. Iwaizumi hoped that Tanaka would somehow manage to take care of his business quicker than usual, but in the end the man stayed inside far longer than Shimizu had. When he came out he smiled at Iwaizumi.

“See you around!” the knight exclaimed and grabbed the worn-down bicycle that had been waiting by the hut.

The day dragged on slowly, and when Iwaizumi finally had his turn, it was nearly midday. He tried his best to not show his true feelings to the Wise Man, but failed. He knew how obviously irritated he was, but the Wise Man didn’t seem to mind. In fact, Iwaizumi could have sworn that the Wise Man made sure to take care of everything faster than usual.

When Iwaizumi finally walked out of the hut he wasted no time heading to the forest. He felt comforted and energised by the magic surrounding him, and he let out a sigh. Not many people used the forest as a shortcut like he did, finding it too unreliable to take them safely home, but for Iwaizumi it had always felt natural. As a child he had lived right next to the forest and learned to associate the tingle of magic with peaceful happiness. His step was light and he was certain that he would make it back home in no time at all.

Eventually Iwaizumi saw the trees clearing up, but before he even walked all the way to the treeline he knew that he wasn’t home. He stopped and turned around, determinedly walking away from the clearing that he had only left the previous day, but after a moment’s walk he reached the clearing again. He thought about leaving once more, but what was the point? The forest clearly wouldn’t let him leave, and he had to wonder if the witch had something to do with it.

Iwaizumi sat down on the ground by the trees and watched the cottage. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, and soon the door to the balcony opened. Oikawa stepped out and sat down onto a chair, casting his eyes over the pond and drinking from a similar cup Iwaizumi had held in his hand the previous day. The witch looked peaceful enough, but Iwaizumi sensed a hint of sadness. He couldn’t understand how anyone living in such a quiet, beautiful place could be sad, but he also remembered the feeling of utter loneliness he had caught from the witch.

It didn’t look like Oikawa was waiting for him. Iwaizumi wondered if he could really trust his gut on an issue relating to magic, but the trees around him convinced him. He remained seated on the ground, resting his back and head on a tree, waiting for Oikawa to go back inside.

Oikawa sat outside for quite a while, eyes aimed to the pond’s surface, and Iwaizumi suddenly wondered if there was fish living in it. He had sometimes caught a glimpse of weird birds whose feathers were colourful and dripping with magic, but officially there was no record of magical animals living in the forest. Iwaizumi wondered if magical fish would be colourful too. He hardly even noticed Oikawa getting back inside.

After waiting for a moment longer Iwaizumi stood up and made his way to the cottage. He stood by the familiar door and took a deep breath before knocking.

The door opened to a small crack and Iwaizumi could hardly make out the features of the right half of Oikawa’s face that was shadowed by the door.

“Iwa-chan,” the witch gasped.

Iwaizumi frowned at the name but chose to ignore it.

“Why are you here?” Oikawa asked, voice distant.

Iwaizumi shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I just wanted to go home.”

He could tell from Oikawa’s one visible eye that the witch didn’t believe him, but there was no argument.

“Can you help me?” Iwaizumi asked, hoping that he sounded genuinely polite and pleading.

Oikawa looked like he was going to refuse, but then the door opened.

“Come in,” the witch said, and Iwaizumi stepped inside the cottage that already looked familiar.

Oikawa looked gloomy, although Iwaizumi could only see his back.

“Take a seat,” the witch said and gestured towards the dining table.

Iwaizumi sat down and watched Oikawa prepare his special brew of tea.

“Do _you_ ever need that tea?” Iwaizumi asked.

Oikawa halted for just a second, but Iwaizumi didn’t miss it.

“Sometimes,” Oikawa said. “If I don’t really want to come back.”

“Why would you not want to come back home?” Iwaizumi asked.

There was no answer, so Iwaizumi dropped the subject. He looked around the room, and his eyes stopped to the door that must have led to another room.

“Is that your bedroom?” he asked and pointed to the door when Oikawa turned to look.

The witch had a soft blush on his face, probably from the hot tea that he was now carrying to the table.

“Yeah, it’s that and some more,” he said and placed the full cup in front of Iwaizumi.

“What else is it?” Iwaizumi asked, intrigued.

“Whatever I need it to be,” Oikawa said. “It’s the bedroom, a study, a library, a broom closet…”

“Do you fly on a broomstick?” Iwaizumi asked.

Oikawa laughed, and it was genuine, and it was the most beautiful laugh Iwaizumi had ever heard. It made him want to smile, even though it was aimed at him, and he felt new kind of ease in his heart.

“Where did you get that from?” Oikawa asked, lips turned into a wide smirk. “How could a witch fly?”

“In some stories they can,” Iwaizumi said quietly, feeling a bit stupid.

Oikawa sighed.

“I guess it’s been such a long time since the mankind has had any contact with witches,” he said, “that reality gets confused with fiction.”

“Ah,” Iwaizumi noted.

He felt highly unintelligent at the moment, and looked intently at his tea.

“It must have started from the fact that for a witch it’s important to keep your surroundings clean,” Oikawa mumbled, then raised his eyes to properly address Iwaizumi. “It’s not good if your magic gets all mixed up and tangled.”

Iwaizumi didn’t know how that could happen, but he nodded as if he knew exactly what Oikawa meant.

“Aren’t you going to drink your tea?” Oikawa asked.

Iwaizumi felt his face heat up. He looked at his cup again, but didn’t make a move to take it.

“Why did you really come here?” Oikawa asked.

Iwaizumi lifted his head to look at him.

“I got lost?” he suggested.

Oikawa shook his head.

“I told you,” he said. “People only find me if they know to look for me. If they want to see me.”

Iwaizumi didn’t say a word for a moment. He was waiting for the witch to continue, but Oikawa stayed silent, looking pointedly at the knight.

“Then how did I find you yesterday?” Iwaizumi asked. “I didn’t even know witches exist.”

This time it was clear that the red on Oikawa’s cheeks wasn’t caused by boiling water. Iwaizumi kept his eyes on the witch who was squirming in his seat.

“It doesn’t matter,” Oikawa finally said. “Just drink it and go home.”

“I won’t be back a third time,” Iwaizumi said.

Oikawa nodded and shifted his eyes away when Iwaizumi tried to meet his gaze. After a moment of hesitating Iwaizumi drank his tea. He knew that Oikawa was watching him, although the witch had determinedly turned his head away. When his cup was empty, he placed it back on the table.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’m sorry for bothering you again.”

Oikawa shook his head but didn’t say anything. Iwaizumi turned his head away when he saw how wet the witch’s eyes were.

“I’ll be going now.”

Iwaizumi heard Oikawa nod behind him and headed back home.

*

Iwaizumi was busy on the following day and had to push all his thoughts about the witch in the forest to the back of his mind. He went to the castle to meet with other knights who were preparing for their missions and to get help from the more experienced knights. Iwaizumi had been on missions before, aiding other knights, but this time it would be his own mission. He would be in charge of an assistant, and he wanted to make sure they would both come out of it alive and well. He listened to the knights talking about their experiences with dragons and soaked up every tip he heard like a sponge.

It was late in the evening when Iwaizumi finally returned home. He was tired and dropped down onto his bed, expecting to be asleep in a matter of minutes. However, after an hour he was still very much awake. He couldn’t find a good position to sleep in, his pillow wasn’t right, and he felt too hot. After an hour more of trying he got up and decided to go for a walk.

Iwaizumi’s home was in the castle grounds like all the other knights’ homes were, but his was by the edge of the border to the forest. He decided to walk there, let himself be surrounded by the powerful tress for a moment before trying to sleep again.

The path was dark, but in the glow of magic Iwaizumi could clearly see where he was going. He took his time and didn’t hurry, he tried to find a calm rhythm for his breaths as he breathed in the fresh night air. When he started to feel better he turned around and headed back home.

In the back of his head Iwaizumi told himself off for being so stupid and thoughtless when he arrived at the clearing where Oikawa lived. He should have known that the forest would take him there, and he was strongly starting to suspect the witch for having put a spell on either the forest or him.

Iwaizumi stood still until he started to feel chilly, and then made his way to the door of the cottage. He knocked loudly.

It was late at night and Oikawa was probably sleeping. Iwaizumi waited, irritation and suspension worming around in his gut. What if the witch wouldn’t open his door at this hour? What if he couldn’t hear the knock?

Eventually the door opened. Oikawa looked tired and his hair was messier than usual. He was holding an oil lamp in his hand, and it gave his face an eerie glow. He was wearing a white cotton robe that only reached his knees.

“I’m so sorry, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said.

“This is a weird time to be walking around,” Oikawa pointed out.

“I couldn’t sleep and thought that a walk might help,” Iwaizumi told him.

Oikawa opened the door wide enough for Iwaizumi to step in.

“I can’t help you right now,” Oikawa said and yawned. “It’s too dangerous to do even the simplest things when you’re too tired. And I am too tired.”

Iwaizumi hesitated. He wasn’t all that keen on spending a night with a witch, but he didn’t want to wander around in the chilly night either.

“You can either sleep on the sofa or with me,” Oikawa said.

Iwaizumi’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at the sofa that looked comfortable enough to sleep on. He turned to look at Oikawa.

“Can I sleep with you?” he asked, although he had already decided to sleep on the sofa.

Oikawa simply nodded tiredly and opened the door to his bedroom. Iwaizumi followed him inside. It was a simple room with white walls and wooden floors. The bed was big and much more luxurious than any other bed Iwaizumi had ever seen in his entire life. There was a closet on one side of the room, and a door next to it.

“There’s the bathroom if you need it,” Oikawa said pointing at the door.

He yawned, settling in the bed. Iwaizumi stepped closer to the bed and hurriedly stripped out of his clothes, leaving him only in his underwear. He felt self-conscious, but Oikawa wasn’t looking at him; the witch was pulling the covers over himself. Iwaizumi sat down on the bed and slowly lay down.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “And thank you.”

“No problem,” Oikawa mumbled and put out the light. “Sleep well, Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi twitched at the name, but Oikawa sounded so tired he decided to not confront him. Instead he tried to make himself feel comfortable, but before he had even finished thinking about how much softer this bed was compared to his own, he was already asleep.

*

When Iwaizumi woke up he panicked. The bed he was lying on was clearly not his own, but he didn’t have any clue as to why he wouldn’t be sleeping in his own bed. He tried to remember if he’d been drinking the previous night, but the absence of a headache of any kind didn’t go well with that theory.

Right before he opened his eyes he remembered where he was. He looked around the room. The beddings were dishevelled right next to him where Oikawa had slept. It was hard to grasp on any details of the previous night. While Iwaizumi was used to living next to the magical forest he had never spent this much time surrounded by the trees, and it made him feel slightly light-headed. He might have been a trained knight but no amount of training could have prepared him to being exposed to magic so thoroughly.

Slowly Iwaizumi sat up and looked around. Suddenly he remembered Oikawa saying that the room also served as a study and a library among other things, but as he looked around he couldn’t see a desk or bookshelves. The room was quite bare, ideal for sleeping perhaps, but nothing that would qualify as a library. Iwaizumi got up and looked around again. There was a door on the other end of the room, and he went to investigate. He found a bathroom there, but still no signs of books.

Confused, Iwaizumi headed to the door that led to the front room, and opened it quietly. He immediately spotted Oikawa standing by the stove, still wearing his knee-length robe. He stood by the doorway and simply watched the witch, and he still saw the weird sadness surrounding him.

“Please, close the door,” Oikawa said so suddenly that Iwaizumi jumped back.

Oikawa turned to pointedly look at the knight, and he did as he was told before realising that he hadn’t gotten dressed. He was standing there in just his underwear that didn’t really do a great job at concealing his manhood, and turned around to open the door again.

“What the devil?” Iwaizumi let slip when he opened the door and was faced with an ordinary bloom closet.

“Did you need something from the bedroom?” Oikawa asked, suddenly standing right behind Iwaizumi, warm body leaning closer.

Iwaizumi felt the quiet hum of magic on his skin and didn’t dare turn around to face the witch.

“Sorry about that,” Oikawa said. “Unfortunately only I can use this door.”

Oikawa reached from behind Iwaizumi to close the closet and then opened it again, although this time the door led back to the bedroom that Iwaizumi had just left.

“There you go,” Oikawa said with a smile in his voice and went back to the stove.

Iwaizumi stood there for a good moment, completely dumbfounded, before he managed to snap out of it and carefully stepped into the room.

“Remember to close the door,” Oikawa said and Iwaizumi slowly let the door click shut.

His heart was beating fast and he still felt a ghost of Oikawa on his back. He stood still for a long while, trying to calm down and collect his thoughts. Eventually he gave up and went to get his clothes, pulling them on in almost a hurry.

When he left the bedroom for the second time Oikawa was sitting by the dinner table and eating.

“Come have some breakfast, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said cheerfully and gestured towards the food that was set across from him.

“What’s with the “Iwa-chan”?” Iwaizumi asked and frowned, but couldn’t really bring annoyance in his voice.

“You should drink this tea,” Oikawa said, completely ignoring Iwaizumi’s question. “It’s going to help you cope with all the magic around you.”

“I suppose you’d never need such a drink,” Iwaizumi mumbled as he sat down.

“On the contrary!” Oikawa said. “I do need it sometimes, especially when I spend time around dragons.”

Iwaizumi’s head immediately shot up at that.

“You spend time with dragons?” he asked.

“Of course,” Oikawa said, seemingly completely unaware of Iwaizumi’s reaction. “They’re strong magical beings. Very good for spells.”

Iwaizumi didn’t know what to say, so he simply took a hold of the cup with the suspiciously coloured tea and took a sip. It didn’t taste much like anything at first, but the aftertaste reminded him strongly of prunes. He drank more, and he felt like his head was clearing up a bit.

“Is it making you feel better?” Oikawa asked.

“Yes,” Iwaizumi said and nodded, drinking more in a hurry to feel more like himself again.

Oikawa was looking at him with a smile, and Iwaizumi had to lower his gaze to make sure he wouldn’t accidentally suffocate.

“Tell me how I found you,” Iwaizumi then asked, trying to make the situation feel less awkward by giving Oikawa something other than him to focus on.

Oikawa went bright red and it was his turn to look away. He squirmed before forcing himself to stop, and took a deep breath before looking slightly more at Iwaizumi.

“I summoned you,” he said.

Iwaizumi felt a thump in his stomach.

“I mean, not you specifically,” Oikawa hurried to add. “I was so lonely.”

Oikawa’s voice faded and he looked at the table. Iwaizumi was irritated by the way Oikawa looked.

“So you did put a spell on me,” he said coldly.

“No!” Oikawa immediately said and shook his head, bright eyes looking straight into Iwaizumi’s own. “I put a spell on the forest, so that it would guide someone to me.”

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure how to feel about this. If the spell had been cast on the forest and he walked into it, wasn’t it still technically a spell on him? Was it even possible to put a spell on such a strongly magical forest? He wished that he had paid more attention to all the tales of magic he had ever heard to have at least a faint understanding on the way magic could possibly work.

“You don’t believe me,” Oikawa said, looking defeated.

“I don’t know,” Iwaizumi said. “How could I know if you’re telling me the truth? I don’t understand magic.”

“I promise I’m telling you the truth,” Oikawa said and looked at Iwaizumi again.

His eyes did seem earnest, but Iwaizumi had also heard the stories of witches who were sneaky and manipulative, tricking humans into believing their lies before betraying them. However, he also knew those were just stories, and it was impossible to know what had once been true and what was added later on to make for a more appealing story.

“Even if it is the truth I’m just a coincidence,” Iwaizumi said. “The forest would have brought you whoever happened to be walking in it, right?”

Oikawa blushed yet again and slowly shook his head.

“The forest knows me,” he said quietly, “so I asked it to send me someone who would be an ideal…”

“An ideal what?” Iwaizumi asked when Oikawa didn’t continue.

Oikawa’s silence stretched on an on, and Iwaizumi was starting to get irritated again, when Oikawa finally spoke, voice incredibly quiet.

“Partner,” he said. “And ideal partner.”

Iwaizumi felt his brain freeze for a moment. He was trying to understand what Oikawa had said while also questioning if he had even heard correctly. He was staring at Oikawa but not really looking at the witch. Oikawa had his gaze low and head slightly bent, cheeks burning red. Iwaizumi blinked and turned to look at his cup that was half empty, and reached out to drink the rest of the tea.

In his peripheral vision Iwaizumi saw Oikawa lift his gaze up and look at him nervously. Iwaizumi didn’t want to meet the witch’s eyes because he didn’t know how to deal with the situation. He didn’t know what to make of the confession he had just heard.

Oikawa got up and went to the stove. Iwaizumi quickly glanced at him but didn’t want to risk being noticed, so he returned to his breakfast. Oikawa had already finished his. The silence of the room was occasionally broken by some clattering, but Iwaizumi didn’t care to know what caused it. He wanted to make some sense of the situation, but he felt like his brain wasn’t built to handling such surprises.

Oikawa returned to the table with a new cup and placed it in front of Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi recognised the colour and smell of the tea.

“You probably want to go back,” Oikawa mumbled and hesitated next to his chair.

Iwaizumi waited to see if Oikawa would sit down. The witch had his hand resting on the back of the chair, fingers clasping the wood so hard the tips of them were turning white.

“What if I don’t?” Iwaizumi asked when Oikawa didn’t move.

Oikawa was clearly startled by the question, letting go of the chair so quickly he pulled it back when pulling his hand away, the scrape against the floor loud in the otherwise quiet room. Iwaizumi looked up at the witch, and upon seeing his embarrassed blush he couldn’t help colour creeping up his cheeks as well. He cleared his throat.

“I mean,” Iwaizumi said without knowing completely what he was going to say. “I don’t mind it. I mean, I don’t mind being here. I don’t mind you.”

Oikawa gasped loudly and turned to look out the window. His face was glowing in the morning sun that cast its light into the room. Iwaizumi wanted to look away from the beautiful sight, but couldn’t bring himself to lose even a second of it. He felt like he should say something but he didn’t know what. He wished that he was one of those people who always had something to say.

“I didn’t think it would have turned out to be a man,” Oikawa said quietly.

“Oh?” Iwaizumi answered, still feeling completely unintelligent. “Am I a disappointment then?”

Oikawa glanced at Iwaizumi and silently shook his head.

“You look lonely,” Iwaizumi said.

Oikawa wasn’t still properly looking at him, but nodded.

“That’s no wonder,” the witch said. “I only ever see people when I go out, but I don’t often go out.”

“Why?” Iwaizumi asked.

“The longer I stay the more they start to notice I’m not like them,” Oikawa replied. “These days it’s easier for a witch to stay hidden.”

“I don’t understand why,” Iwaizumi said. “We have our Wise Man, who has some magical qualities.”

“He’s a remnant of the true witches,” Oikawa said with a sigh. “He’s still much closer to you people than to witches.”

Oikawa’s voice was dripping with loneliness, and Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back. He stood up and walked around the table to where Oikawa was standing. The witch looked at him in confusion when he stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. He felt magic in his arms as Oikawa leaned into him. The witch placed his chin on Iwaizumi’s shoulder, and Iwaizumi hugged him tightly.

“I don’t want you to be alone,” Iwaizumi said. “I don’t know how I should feel about this situation, but at least I’ll be your friend.”

Oikawa sniffled but didn’t say anything. They remained close together until Iwaizumi felt Oikawa’s shivers calm down.

*

Iwaizumi spent nearly the entire day with Oikawa. They talked about their lives and Iwaizumi asked about magic, trying his best to understand what Oikawa told him. When he had to leave he wanted to stay but knew that he needed to go home and focus on his job. He told Oikawa he might not have time to come over for a while, brushing a strand of hair away from the witch’s face when he looked down in disappointment.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Iwaizumi said by the door. “I promise.”

Oikawa tried his best to smile, and when Iwaizumi turned towards the forest he heard the witch blow him a kiss.

Iwaizumi had been right about how busy he was for the next two days. He went to the castle on both days, reading instruction books again to make sure he remembered all the safety details and practicing his swordsmanship with Bokuto.

“I haven’t seen you around as often as usual,” Bokuto said. “I was getting worried you might have cold feet.”

“You wish,” Iwaizumi said. “You’d love to have one less rival.”

Bokuto laughed and Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back his own smile.

“Who’s your assistant?” Iwaizumi asked Bokuto.

“I have two,” Bokuto said. “What were their names again… Ennoshita and Yamaguchi.”

“Why two?” Iwaizumi asked.

“It’s Yamaguchi’s first time on a mission!” Bokuto said excitedly.

“I feel bad for him,” Iwaizumi said with a shake of his head.

Bokuto laughed obnoxiously loud.

“He’ll be fine with me!” he declared. “Ennoshita has been before so he’s going to look after Yamaguchi with me. Who are you going with?”

“Terushima,” Iwaizumi said and shivered. “I hope he’s going to be able to forget about all the silliness when it’s the real deal.”

“He’s been on missions before,” Bokuto said reassuringly. “He’s come back alive from each of them!”

Iwaizumi wasn’t convinced but smiled at Bokuto either way.

“You’re so excited already,” Iwaizumi said.

“It’s an adventure waiting for me!” Bokuto said. “The first time I went alone was so cool!”

“You went with Shimizu, didn’t you?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Yes,” Bokuto said and suddenly sounded less excited. “I don’t know why king Sugawara thought it was necessary for me to go with someone so experienced.”

“I wish I was going with someone more experienced,” Iwaizumi said.

When Iwaizumi had first learned that his assistant was going to be Terushima Yuuji of all people, he had thought it was a bad joke. Terushima was known to do things the way he wanted to do them, because he wanted to have fun – like he put it. Iwaizumi had heard the younger knights complain about what a pain it was to practise with him because he didn’t take it seriously. In a way it was a surprise that the young knight hadn’t been kicked out.

Iwaizumi worried about Terushima being his partner so much that he made sure to surround himself with all the knowledge he could possibly need for a mission. Knowing that at least he was fully aware of the dangers made him feel slightly more at ease, but his anxiety hit top levels when he and Terushima had their meeting on the day before their mission. It was early morning and Terushima was sleepy, and Iwaizumi wanted to march out of the room. He slapped the boy on the head with his notes on several occasions, the younger knight complaining about his brutal ways.

After the meeting Iwaizumi stormed off and headed to the forest. He had done everything he possibly could do to prepare, and he needed a break.

Besides, as he silently allowed himself to admit, he missed Oikawa. He passed by Bokuto on his way, silently waving to the knight who tried to invite him somewhere. Iwaizumi didn’t care about going anywhere but to the small cottage on the clearing in the middle of the forest.

When Iwaizumi saw the trees clearing ahead he ran all the way to Oikawa’s cottage. He took a moment to breath before knocking on the door.

Oikawa opened with a smile on his face.

“Iwa-chan!” the witch greeted the knight. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Oikawa pulled Iwaizumi into a quick hug before letting the man in. Iwaizumi sighed and flopped down onto the couch.

“You’ve been busy?” Oikawa asked and sat down next to him.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi replied and sighed. “So much work.”

Suddenly he realised that Oikawa didn’t know anything about his upcoming mission. He would be gone for days, if not a week. He looked at the witch and didn’t know how to approach the subject.

“Is there something wrong?” Oikawa asked.

Iwaizumi breathed in and breathed out.

“I have to leave tomorrow,” he finally managed to say.

“Why?” Oikawa immediately asked.

The witch’s voice was insecure, and it felt like a stab in Iwaizumi’s chest.

“I’m a knight. I have to slay a dragon,” he explained.

“No,” Oikawa gasped in true horror. “You slay dragons?”

Iwaizumi looked at Oikawa in confusion.

“Yes,” he said. “That’s what we do to protect ourselves.”

Oikawa looked away before looking back at him.

“How can you kill something that doesn’t mean you harm?” Oikawa asked.

“Dragons are a serious threat,” Iwaizumi began, but Oikawa shook his head.

“They’re gentle creatures,” the witch said. “They’re magical creatures. You humans are a serious threat to them.”

Iwaizumi had never really thought about it, but it was true that most dragon related deaths had been the result of humans being in the wrong place in the wrong time. In fact, he couldn’t think of even one occasion when a dragon would have attacked without being provoked first.

“What can I do?” Iwaizumi said, almost irritated. “It’s my job.”

“You could not go,” Oikawa said quietly.

“I can’t,” Iwaizumi said. “As a knight I have to fulfil my duty or live my life in shame.”

“You could live here with me,” Oikawa said, voice still quiet.

“I can’t even imagine being demoted because of a failure to fulfil my duties,” Iwaizumi said, “and… Wait, what?”

Oikawa’s face was flushed and he took a moment before looking at Iwaizumi.

“Stay with me, Iwa-chan,” he said, voice sweet as the tea he had brewed Iwaizumi so many times. “Please.”

Iwaizumi couldn’t say anything. He could hardly keep breathing, his thoughts gone completely still. He looked into Oikawa’s eyes, inside his heart, and suddenly he understood everything.

“Have you put a spell on me?” Iwaizumi asked, almost out of habit.

“No,” Oikawa said. “I can do many things, but I can’t make someone love me.”

Iwaizumi swallowed. Oikawa was sitting surprisingly close. He could nearly feel the warmth of the witch’s body next to him. He felt the familiar tingle of magic as he lifted his hand and brushed Oikawa’s cheek with his fingertips. When he leaned in and pressed his lips against Oikawa’s, a surge of magic flowed through him, electrifying the air, and he wasn’t sure how to tell what was magic and what was his feelings unleashing inside him.

Their kiss was soft and gentle, lips brushing lightly before pressing closer, and Oikawa closed his eyes when he lifted his hands to Iwaizumi’s nape. His fingers were soft and Iwaizumi sighed, opening his mouth slightly. Oikawa pulled Iwaizumi closer, loose lips sucking on Iwaizumi’s lower lip, and it was Iwaizumi who first licked shyly on Oikawa’s mouth before slipping in. Their tongues rubbed against one another, slippery and careful, and Iwaizumi had never felt his heart beat so fast. His entire body was warm, but what was most affected was his heart.

When they broke the kiss they looked at each other, Oikawa’s fingers still in Iwaizumi’s hair, and Iwaizumi stroked Oikawa’s cheek clumsily. Oikawa was smiling, and Iwaizumi felt like he might be floating.

“I want to stay,” Iwaizumi said, voice rough at the edges.

Oikawa answered with a quiet whimper and pressed his face against Iwaizumi’s neck. The witch’s lips were leaving soft kisses onto the skin there, and Iwaizumi smiled, smelling the faint scent of herbs in Oikawa’s hair. He placed his hands onto Oikawa’s shoulders, feeling his way down his arms and back.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa breathed. “I want to touch you.”

Oikawa looked up to Iwaizumi with an almost pleading look. Iwaizumi felt his face heating up.

“You can,” he said, certain that his face was bright red.

Oikawa didn’t break their gaze as he let his hands slide down Iwaizumi’s back right to his ass before lifting them up again and moving to the front. He gave a small grope to the knight’s chest before moving down, feeling how Iwaizumi’s abs moved as he was touched. Iwaizumi shivered and moved his own hands over Oikawa’s body, feeling the little twitches of muscles and the way Oikawa was breathing calmly.

Iwaizumi saw rather than heard Oikawa swallow. Their breaths were hot over their faces, and Oikawa looked absolutely awestruck. Iwaizumi moved his hands to Oikawa’s shoulders to start pushing the robe away. The witch looked up at him with expectant eyes, allowing Iwaizumi to expose his shoulders and chest as the robe fell around him.

It was quiet around them. Iwaizumi dragged his fingertips over Oikawa’s chest, feeling the small hard nubs of his nipples on the way. Oikawa breathed in deep, hands gathering the fabric of Iwaizumi’s shirt in them but not pulling. Iwaizumi lowered his head to press a wet kiss onto Oikawa’s chest right next to a nipple before he straightened and pulled his own shirt away, tossing it to the floor.

This time Iwaizumi heard Oikawa swallow. The witch looked at the expand of the knight’s chest, the skin peppered with small bruises and old scars from practise and missions. Oikawa’s fingers trailed over the discoloured skin before he leaned down to kiss on each bruise, lips merely brushing the skin. Iwaizumi touched Oikawa’s shoulders and back, the pale skin so smooth to the touch. Suddenly Oikawa sucked a nipple into his mouth, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help the moan that seemed to echo in the room long after it had escaped. He felt Oikawa smile against his chest, and he started pushing the witch’s robe further down to expose more of the beautiful skin.

It felt like Iwaizumi’s heart would stop when he pushed the robe down enough to get a glimpse of Oikawa’s crack. He hesitated for a moment too long, and Oikawa sat up to look at him. Iwaizumi’s mouth was dry and he couldn’t think of anything to say, so he only stared at the witch who smiled before standing up.

Without a thought Iwaizumi reached out to take a hold of the witch, to try to explain or apologise, anything to get the skin contact back. His nipple was erect and the cool air was making it ache in longing. Oikawa smiled again before opening his robe completely and letting it fall to the floor, where the fabric pooled around his ankles.

Oikawa wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

Iwaizumi licked his lips as his eyes roamed the body in front of him. Oikawa had good muscles that balanced the softness of his stomach. His nipples were bright pink against his pale chest, but they were nothing in comparison to his cock that was already standing upright. Iwaizumi allowed himself to stare for a moment longer before looking back up to Oikawa’s face. To his surprise the witch seemed hesitant.

It was Iwaizumi’s turn to smile and stand up. He stood just a small distance away from Oikawa, so close that he could easily slide their bodies together, but far enough to have room for himself. He opened his trousers and pulled them down. They dropped onto the floor with a quiet thud. He then swallowed and removed his underwear, exposing his cock that was quickly hardening under Oikawa’s gaze.

“Are you really sure?” Oikawa asked.

The uncertainty in his eyes made Iwaizumi’s heart ache. He closed the distance between their bodies and took a gentle hold of Oikawa’s cheeks.

“Yes,” he said, voice rough and wanting.

He felt Oikawa’s cock against his stomach, he felt his own cock press against Oikawa’s smooth skin, and he couldn’t help rolling his hips closer to feel more.

“I want everything,” he said breathlessly, and Oikawa nodded in his hold.

It almost felt like Iwaizumi had said the magic words that were needed, because when their lips met again there was nothing remaining from their earlier hesitance. Their mouths opened and their tongues battled for dominance as Oikawa let his hands drop to Iwaizumi’s ass, squeezing the firm flesh and making Iwaizumi moan. The knight was still holding Oikawa’s face, but he rolled his hips to meet the witch’s erection.

Oikawa guided them back to the sofa. Iwaizumi dropped down and pulled Oikawa with him, their mouths never leaving one another. Oikawa had his hands on Iwaizumi’s chest, fingers playing with the brown nipples as he straddled the knight. Oikawa rolled his hips, pressed them against Iwaizumi and lining their erections. Iwaizumi took a hold of both their cocks with one hand and squeezed a little before trying to find a good rhythm for rubbing them.

The sounds Oikawa was making were driving Iwaizumi out of his mind, his head hazy as he tried his best to not come immediately. Their kiss had stopped being a proper kiss, although their tongues flicked against each other’s mouths at times, but they were now more breathing against one another. Oikawa made tiny whines each time Iwaizumi reached the tip of their cocks and pressed harder against the knight. Iwaizumi couldn’t stay quiet either, his voice coming out in grunts and whimpers.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa moaned, hands leaving the knights chest and wrapping around his shoulders as if to ground himself.

“I’m so close,” Iwaizumi managed to say between pants.

Oikawa responded to that with a delirious laugh and a twist of his hips.

“You should come,” he whispered against Iwaizumi’s ear. “Hajime.”

With a loud moan Iwaizumi came, come splattering between their bodies and head leaning back against the sofa, Oikawa leaning with him to softly nibble on Iwaizumi’s earlobe. Iwaizumi faintly thought that he wouldn’t be able to keep up jerking Oikawa for much longer when the witch reached his completion too with a drawn-out moan that made Iwaizumi’s cock twist in interest in spite of having just released.

They sat there for a long time, Oikawa pressed against Iwaizumi’s body and breathing in the same rhythm.

“Did you really mean it?” Oikawa then asked.

“Huh?” Iwaizumi replied, mind still in a completely haze over the sex.

“That you’re really going to stay?” Oikawa clarified, and there was an edge of uncertainty in his voice.

“Of course,” Iwaizumi said.

He pushed Oikawa away from him to properly sit up and look the witch in the eyes.

“Did you not really want me to stay?” he asked.

“I want you,” was all Oikawa could say before bursting to tears.

Iwaizumi pulled him into a hug.

“I want you too, Oikawa,” he said. “I never want to leave you again.”

He let Oikawa cry, thinking about how lonely the witch must have been to react like this. He squeezed harder, to convince Oikawa that his days of being alone were over but to also feel that this was real.

When Oikawa calmed down Iwaizumi still didn’t let go, and eventually Oikawa hugged him back.

“Welcome home, Iwa-chan,” the witch said.

“Good to be home,” Iwaizumi replied.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so tempted to write a continuation for this but we'll see if that will ever become true.
> 
> I have [a dedicated writing blog](http://mean-whalewrites.tumblr.com) but also sometimes talk about writing [on twitter](http://twitter.com/mean_whale), but to follow me on twitter please be over 18!


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